What weights do I need for home workouts?

[Apricotton]

Hi, I keep hearing about weights making a big difference. I’m not overweight (although I need to do some cardio to improve fitness) but I badly need to tone up. My tummy is not what it was after having children. My main problem areas are my thighs/hips/bum. My bum in particular is very wide, very square, flat and droopy. I’m also keen to work on my top half to help balance things out. I’ve done squats and lunges before, but never feel it in my glutes, despite my best efforts.

I’m looking to do weights at home. What do I need? Should I be getting kettle bells? Are resistance bands any good? Are those V shaped things you squeeze between your thighs effective? I really don’t know much. I do know that I need to make a change for more reasons than I have listed here. I’m also looking to improve my diet- I’m an evening sugar junkie.

Thank you.

I started with two dumbells and some resistance bands and then gradually increased the weights. Once I was comfortable with my form and had a better idea of what I was doing I then bought a kettlebell and heavier dumbells

It's easy to get overwhelmed with it all to start with as there's so much choice but I would recommend starting with dumbells first so you can lift with proper form :) just remember to warm up before and stretch in-between workouts! :D it quickly becomes addictive

Do you have any scope at all to get to a gym - even if it was once a week?
The reason I ask is because to make progress you need to keep increasing the weight you use, and you'll be surprised at how quickly and how heavy that goes for exercises that focus on legs and glutes. It's hard to get that at home, and the weights that you start with as a beginner you'll quickly surpass and they'll become redundant.

It's not impossible to train well at home but it is a lot more difficult which is why few people persevere with it.

Thank you both so much for your replies. I’ve looked at the website of my local gym and the price is pretty good. I could theoretically go 3 times a week. I suppose what’s putting me off is that I’ve tried going to gyms before, got disheartened very quickly and always felt completely out of place.

I’m guessing that a Caroline Girvan work out (I’ve been hearing a lot about her) is no replacement for the gym for building muscle mass?

I could get resistance bands. I think I have dumb bells somewhere. Overwhelming is the right work. I want to work as efficiently as possible. I really hope it does become addictive. I’m also hoping that this will help me to cut the evening sugar binge.

Thank you.

'I’ve looked at the website of my local gym and the price is pretty good. I could theoretically go 3 times a week'

3 times a week would be brilliant. I would recommend having a session with a personal trainer at the gym - they can advise you on appropriate weights to start with for upper and lower body moves, teach you the correct form (so important), and put together a program for you to follow. They can also advise you on how and when to increase your weights and intensity

I think the money you would spend on home weights would be better put towards your gym membership. And I know you know this, but changing your diet will be a really crucial part of changing your shape

If you don't like the gun you won't stick at it so there is no point

Caroline G does sone good videos/ programmes - find beginner levels

Also ideally do a few gym classes to learn technique and to get a feel for what weights you want

Else start with some 3kg dumbbells ( use tins of beans or large filled squash bottles if that's too much for sone arm work ) and build over time

I'd mix weights with at least one cardio and sone stretches, Pilates or yoga to get the best out of your body

How do you see this helping to avoid sugar binge ?

Exercise when you would otherwise be eating ? Or ?!?

I think you need to stop the sugar binge first and add the exercise once you have the discipline - making lots of changes at once tends to fail

I'm a PT, pm me if you'd like a chat.

Not looking for business, it's all anonymous, I just like teaching people this stuff.

Thank you both very much for your responses.

Youre right that if I exercise a bit in the evenings, then I can’t eat the same time. But more so, I think that if I’m working hard exercising, I won’t want to ruin that with eating too much of the wrong thing.

I think I’ll probably start working out at home the n, both weights and other exercise. If I start forming solid habits, I will look again at the gym. I agree that I could get more out of a gym work out, but it’s no good if I’m not there!

This heatwave will help with my sugar habits as my appetite goes- I didn’t eat anything additional last night.

Thanks @Watchkeys, I may just do that!

It's common to feel disheartened at the gym if you've not got a clear programme and not seeing results - I'd really recommend if you can, getting a programme (eg with a PT) or advice from here and just trying once or twice a week. Small changes. It's even easier to get off track when you're at home and have distractions! Ultimately if you don't enjoy gym workouts then we can support you to look at something else, eg sport or other ways to keep active like swimming or hiking, but it's looking at why you feel disheartened rather than hoping working out at home will fix it.

Strength gains come long before visible body changes, which is important re motivation. You can get lots of advice in this forum for everything from gym etiquette to exercises to try to what questions to ask the staff etc.

I'm not saying you have to become a gym bunny, but its worth understanding that a bit more because most home exercise equipment ends up gathering dust!

I have to say I’ve started doing Caroline Girvans at home - I had 2kg, which are pretty useless and now use 4kg and wanting to move up soon. I HATE the gym and wouldn’t go, but I do this every day and have definitely seen a difference! Will I have the “proper” set of muscles or strength or whatever? Is it the approved way to work out? I couldn’t care less, I feel better, look better, and if anyone wants to scorn my light weights and home workout so be it.

@AtomicBlondeRose I hope that wasn't directed at me - I'm not scorning home workouts or suggesting they're not 'proper' but they are harder. Harder to find time (sounds like it should be easy, but theres always so many other things that need doing at home) Harder to have the space, harder to do effective workouts without equipment, harder to progress. That's why many beginners start at home and give up.
With a gym, the hard bit is getting there, but usually it's easier to keep focused, there's nothing else to do there but work out, and the incentive is to get the workout done and get home. The range of equipment makes progressing easier, whereas to progress at home you need to be a lot more creative and self motivated.

It also depends what you want to achieve. My personal goal is about increasing strength, and light dumbbells aren't enough to do that. If I wanted to increase my endurance, then light dumbbells for high reps (like what Caroline Girven does) would be fine. For me, that wouldn't result in much muscle growth, and i need heavier weight to achieve that. I do actually work out at home, but only because iv been able to set up a garage gym with a full barbell/cage set up, which I'm aware is a luxury and not possible for most people.

I'd suggest similar to the others - go to the gym, try with a PT, really give it a proper go and see if you get hooked. I didn't like the gym till I found lifting, now it is my favourite place. I've just been to a busy gym I've never been to, full of other people lifting, and it wasn't intimidating or unpleasant at all. I loved it. No way would I have said this 18 months ago. If you can get hooked it is so good for your physical and mental health. I would get nothing like the same hit from lifting lighter weights at home. It might not be for you but it's worth a proper try for say 3 months.

Thank you everyone for your responses. It’s given me a lot of food for thought. Fact is, I’m not one for exercising, but there are more and more things ‘pushing’ me towards making a change.

I’ve tried the gym before (over ten years ago) and it was a disaster. I’ve also tried working out at home before (along with bits of gym equipment) and yes, that didn’t last long either. I just need to actually do something. I can see the very valid arguments for and against both of them.

One thing that could make the difference, is that previously I was relying on discipline to get out of the house to the gym. If I signed up now, the ideal time to go would be after school drop off, when I’m already out.

I remember when I went to the gym before, I was worried about looking silly and making a big faux pas.

I ate quite well yesterday and only had one very small chocolate bar in the evening, so that’s something.

Thank you again for all the responses. It’s all been hugely helpful. I do need to make a change, I really do. I have health issues that exercise may help to at least partially resolve. I’m also hoping it will help my posture.

Thank you.

@Apricotton 18 months ago I could have written that. Now I'm a powerlifter and it has changed my life in so so many positive ways. It started at the gym with a few weights. Good luck with whatever you decide is best for you

Look at different gyms if you didn't feel that one was right for you. I'm mid 50s and joined a gym a year ago. I thought it would be full of ripped youngsters but it's incredibly mixed, all ages, shapes and sizes.

I felt faint at the induction, had to lie down after 😁, now I go to 3 classes a week and also use the gym a couple of times. It's really inspiring to feel your fitness increase.

The gym part can get boring so I find podcasts help, find something you're interested in, plug them in and then the treadmill/bike/weights don't seem so dull/long.

@Apricotton in my experience most gyms after school run times will be mainly retired people - it's quiet, off peak, and some gyms will offer cheaper deals if you're going at that time. So if you're anxious it's perfect - no feeling self conscious around 20yr old lads hogging the weights!
I do understand what you mean about faux pas, I'd say there's no need to worry but I had the same worry myself and I know it's not that easy. I literally spent my first few gym sessions doing something straightforward (eg on an elliptical) where I could watch what other people were doing and how things worked (where weights were racked, how to use certain machines, how to move/adjust benches, everything!) I mean, ideally I would have just walked up and given it a go, but I'm an over thinker. Got there in the end though.

Also, like others in here I never considered myself to be someone who likes exercise. I had no natural ability either. Now I'm stronger than most my friends, I have reduced health issues I had (joint pain, rsi), significantly reduced my resting heart rate and I'm no longer at risk of osteoporosis. What I lack in natural athletic ability iv made up for in consistency, and honestly it has been life changing. I really hope you find something that works for you.